US begins to remove Sudan from terrorism sponsor list regardless of Darfur; report
February 8, 2011 (WASHINGTON) – The U.S. administration has initiated a process to remove Sudan from its blacklist of terrorism-sponsoring countries, notwithstanding the conflict in the western region of Darfur.
Sudan has been branded by Washington as a state sponsor of terrorism since 1993 in connection to its sheltering of trans-national hard-line Islamists, including Al-Qaidah leader, Osama Bin Laden.
However, a report published by the Washington Times on Monday cited an unnamed senior U.S. official as saying that his administration intends to delink the conflict in Sudan’s western region of Darfur from the process of removing the country from the list of terrorism-sponsoring countries.
“The Obama administration, for the purposes of this designation, will delink this listing from Darfur,” the source said.
Removal of Sudan from the terrorism list is linked to the application of the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act (DPAA), which requires Sudan to resolve the conflict in Darfur before it can be removed from the list.
“We have told the Sudanese that what we intend to do is to waive the application of the DPAA in this regard should they fulfill all requirements of the CPA,” the official said.
President Obama has the option of issuing an executive order taking Sudan off the list, according to the Washington Times.
Last month, Sudan successfully organized a referendum on the independence of south Sudan as stipulated under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) which the former U.S. Administration of President Bush brokered in 2005, ending more than two decades of north-south civil war.
But the Darfur dossier will remain tied to waiving US economic sanctions imposed on Sudan since 1997.
The Washington Times reported that the Obama Administration had offered a two-part deal to Khartoum.
According to the report, Sudan would be taken off the terrorism sponsor list if it fully implemented the CPA, and the sanctions would be lifted if it resolved Darfur conflict.
Fighting in Darfur region has rumbled on since 2003 when rebels, belonging mostly to African ethnic groups, took up arms against the Sudanese government, prompting the latter to respond with a counterinsurgency that killed some 300,000 and displaced more than 2 million, according to UN figures.
Aid groups and peacekeepers of the UN-AU mission in Darfur reports that renewed fighting in Darfur in the last two month led hundreds of thousands to flee their homes.
The Sudanese government has started to cooperate with the U.S. Administration on counterterrorism after the schism that occurred between Islamists supporting president Al-Bashir and those supporting the veteran Islamist leader Hassan Al-Turabi.
However, attempts to remove Sudan from terrorism-sponsoring list are opposed by some members of the US congress, as highlighted by the Washington Times.
The paper’s report quoted Rep. Donald M. Payne, New Jersey Democrat and co-chairman of the congressional caucus on Sudan, as saying “the United States removed a number of restrictions imposed on Sudan last September. The removal of the remaining sanctions should be linked to lasting peace in Darfur, justice and accountability, and resolution of all outstanding issues, including Abyei.”
U.S Special Envoy to Sudan Scott Gration this week confirmed that the US Administration was in the process of removing Sudan from the terrorism list.
“Yes, we are committed to that process. President (Barack) Obama in a statement said the actions that we are taking include putting into process a review of the activities of Sudan having to do with international terrorism. That process will start and will probably take about six months,” Gration told reporters in Khartoum after meeting with Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Karti on Tuesday.
Sudanese officials have repeatedly voiced frustration over lack of reciprocity on the part of the US government over Sudan cooperation on counterterrorism.
Sudan foreign minister Ali Karti admitted this week that the U.S economic sanctions were badly affecting his country, saying that Sudan uses “bags and suitcases” to deliver payment of embassy staff in foreign countries.
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the landlord
US begins to remove Sudan from terrorism sponsor list regardless of Darfur; report
no not now US
Deng Akon Mayen
US begins to remove Sudan from terrorism sponsor list regardless of Darfur; report
absolutedly right, not now.should be after the independence of the S.sudan in July 2011.
Deng
Facts Check
US begins to remove Sudan from terrorism sponsor list regardless of Darfur; report
I believe in the principle of agreement so I am fully supporting this move by the US government. If I agree to be executed if I violate abc then I fully expect to be pardon by all means. If you make agreement you must take the consequences whether it turns out good or bad! End of story.
This is why I hate jallabas because they are the most dishonest people God has ever created. maybe God forget to put that part of brain in them because God had better things to do so they were left uncompleted.
unityfirst1
US begins to remove Sudan from terrorism sponsor list regardless of Darfur; report
That’s absolutely unacceptable to remove the terrorist from the list,don’t the U.S government know that Osama bin Al-adin could have been hidden in the Sudan all these years?why now before they have solve the outstanding issues about the Darfur conflict,and the disputing area b/n Abyei and the North?it’s ridiculous,i have heard President Kiir remarked some points about the arrest-warrant of Bashir that the ICC charges cannot faced President Bashir alone,however it will faced all the sudanese,whom are those sudanese he’s talking about? President El-Bashir should take care of his own arrest warrant along with his instigaters and not someone from the south.Kiir seem to be in the target position pretty soon.